Work with Kilkenny proceeding

A group from the theliquiditynetwork.org team is currently making concrete proposals for the implementation of such a system with the Kilkenny local council in Ireland. The presentation already offer concise insights on the procedures. The ideas evolve around simple yet powerful and secure electronic means of payments, building on a lean system to get quickly started and which would be expanded over time.

These are the main criteria for the system:

• Low barriers to entry for B2B, B2C and C2C
• Cater for range of technical comfort levels
• At least as secure as chip and pin credit card
• Quick to develop trial
• Extensible and open
• Use standard, easily available components
• Plenty of marketing oportunity
• Innovative and news-worthy
• Low risk system
• Focus on user experience and trust

The system components have been so far identified as the following:

• A lightweight, scalable server to run the LQN accounts
• A simple web based client that can run on anything from a
  mobile phone, through an iPod touch to a laptop.
• Scalable security / ease of use trade-off depending on
  levels of trust
• Extensions for vouchers and cheques as ‘delayed electronic
  transactions’
• A system that is as anonymous and secure as a credit card
• As easy as using a phone

Usage of the system is proposed on the following assumptions:

• We sign up users by giving them a card containing their
  account number and verification number (optionally
  increase security using photo)
• We forward a PIN to them in a secure manner (not email)
• We could ask some users (high volume such as retailers) to
  upload photographic evidence (buildings or faces)
• Users and customers use simple web interfaces where they
  must input some of account numbers, PINs and
  amounts. All these are digits to enable simple mobile
  phones.
• Retailers choose their input device – we will recommend
  touch-screen smart-phones / PDAs but they can use what
  they like. For QR codes we would recommend 3 types of
  smartphone.

We also plan to introduce self-printed vouchers as physical currency:

• Use once
• Change credited automatically to printer’s account
• Scanning takes trader to
  https://lqn.ie/katz/voucher?id=4829NSLF92
• Could be printed for users at Kilkenny Katz help-desk

This summarizes the proposals presented to Kilkenny people, both from the public and the council. Discussions are going on to decide on further steps.

Feel free to contact us for more information.